ATTENTION ALL U.S. FEDERAL WORKFORCE EMPLOYEES WISHING TO GIVE TO PREDISAN!

We are excited to announce that Predisan USA, Inc. is now included in the National/International Part of the 2012 Combined Federal Campaign Charity List. The CFC code you will use to designate your contributions to Predisan is 61105.

Please share your love of Predisan's ministry with your friends and colleagues!

Seventh Annual Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit  was held in Catacamas

By Amanda Madrid, Executive Director and Acting Medical Director of Mission Predisan

Catacamas was blessed last weekend by the presence of the UFWH (Universities Fighting World Hunger), an international organization focused on sustainable human development. The initiative began in 2004 through a partnership with the United Nations World Food Program and Auburn University in Alabama. The UFWH is now a coalition of almost 200 universities around the world.

As stated on their website, the UFWH’s vision is to be “the catalyst mobilizing universities around the globe to make fighting hunger a core value of higher education institutions worldwide.” Their goal is to develop and implement an “action agenda for students and faculty that encompasses: hunger awareness and consciousness-raising, advocacy, fundraising, social action agenda, and academic initiatives.”

This was the first time that the UFWH has held a summit outside of the United States. It was held at the National University of Agriculture (La Universidad Nacional de Agricultura) in Catacamas, known as UNA. UNA is a public university dedicated to forming professionals in agricultural sciences and offers 5 degree programs: Agronomic Engineering, Natural Resources and the Environment, Food Technology, Veterinary Medicine, and Farm Management.

The summit was a huge success and brought energy and life to Catacamas. In attendance were the President of Honduras, Porfirio Lobo Sosa, Congress members, and the Secretaries of State.
The country was visited by several professionals from the international community as well:
Daniel Silverstein, Senior Advisor to USAID
Gemmo Lodesani, Regional Director of PMA for Latinamerica
Reynaldo Martorell, international nutrition professor from the University of Emory
Peter Versteeg, representative of the Eurpoean Union, Holland
Harriet Giles, Director of External Relations from Auburn University

Nicholas Fiore, visiting professor from Florida State University
Ian Cherrtt, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Emelisa Callejas, Honduras Ambassador, Honduran Embassy, Atlanta, Georgia
Kate Thornton, Director of Hunger and Sustainability at Auburn University
Rick McNary, founder and executive director of NUMANA
Gary VanDyke, Executive Director of Food for Orphans, USA
Laurie Willing, Executive Director of Honduras Outreach

Representatives from all over the world—USA, Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Nicaragua—came together in Catacamas to fight world hunger. Local businesses and organizations were given the chance to exhibit their products as well. PREDISAN participated with representation from CEREPA and the clinic, giving wellness exams and other services. The summit was a huge success, with not a single security issue or non-peaceful interruption. Everyone was able to enjoy the open outdoors and lovely tropical weather. After each day’s panels, participants enjoyed cultural concerts with dancing and music by national artist Eric Anderson. We hope that events like this will continue to bless Catacamas and bring positive interest to our city.

For more information on the summit you can visit the website: http://wp.auburn.edu/ufwh/

MISSION PREDISAN STAFF UPDATE

Kyle Huhtanen Plans Furlough in Atlanta

Kyle Huhtanen has served God in ministry with Predisan for almost twelve years.  Beginning his work in 2000 as the Designer for and Construction Administrator of our 20,000 square foot Good Samaritan Family Health Center, Kyle also served as our Director of Operations from 2004 to 2007; Director of Healthy Communities from 2007 to 2009, and as our Director of International Relations from 2009 to the present.

During this time, he has made Honduras his home.  Bety Reyes, a native Honduran, became Kyle's wife in 2006; and they have been blessed with two beautiful daughters.  Kyle’s’ love for God compelled him to become involved in many areas, participating in growing the impact of Predisan in the lives of Hondurans and North Americans.  He has been a dedicated and faithful servant of God; serving the Predisan staff and the 52 communities in Predisan's area of service.

After 12 years of faithful service with Predisan, Kyle Huhtanen will soon be on an extended furlough in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Bety Reyes, and their two daughters. Kyle is seeking God’s guidance as he pursues opportunities in education and ministry that will strengthen and equip him to better serve.

Kyle has been working with a wonderful team in Honduras, including Marcio David Matamoros This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Rebekah Madrid This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and Teresa Mejia This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .. These talented folks will continue to work with visiting groups, communication, and ministry integration activities at Predisan.  The Huhtanen's plan to remain involved with Predisan as  volunteers: connecting volunteers, partners and donors.

We are sad to see Kyle leave Predisan, but know that he will continue to devote his life and talents to loving God and serving others. We rejoice with him as he follows God's leading into the next chapter of his life.  We ask you to keep Kyle and Bety lifted up in prayer as they step out in faith and move to Atlanta.

Rebekah Madrid joins our staff in Honduras

Rebekah Madrid has just joined MISSION PREDISAN in 2012 to strengthen our organizational development and visitor relations. A graduate of Oklahoma Christian University, Rebekah has lived in Honduras for over two years with her husband Marcos Madrid and their beautiful daughter, Leyla. With fluent Spanish, Rebekah, originally from Nashville Tennessee, she will be a great resource to connect our brothers and sisters in serving the Kingdom work in Honduras and the United States.

PREDISAN COLLABORATES TO PROVIDE SAFE WATER IN 2012

COMMUNITY WATER PROJECTS

Providing safe water is critical to the health of everyone in the communities we serve.   Lack of safe water and sanitation is the main cause of the spread of preventable illnesses. To combat these ongoing health issues we are excited that Predisan has signed agreements and are in the process of implementing two water projects in 2012.

• 177 families will benefit from the water project agreement  between the National Water and Sewer Council , Predisan and the communities of Las Playas, El Porvenir, La Florida and Santa Fe. Predisan donors committed $16,000 towards funding this critical project.

• 165 families will soon have a water spigot delivering potable water as a result of the water project agreement between the National Water and Sewer Council, Predisan, the Municipality of Catacamas and a group four communities called "El Zaraiso".  Predisan donors also committed $16,000 towards this project.

SANITATION PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 2011

Thanks to the hard work of our visiting North American mission groups Predisan was able to build 71 latrines and 16 water tanks and showers in seven mountain villages in the Cuyamel area and the three barrios in Catacamas this year.  Their efforts improved the quality of the life of 523 families!

WE ARE THANKFUL TO PARTNER WITH YOU OUR DONORS TO BRING THIS BASIC NEED TO THE POOREST COMMUNITIES IN CATACAMAS!

New Clinic Provides New Hope for Remote Community by Kyle Huhtanen

How one family was affected by the new clinic completed this year

Dalila Benitez is a mother, wife, health committee member, and survivor. She has lived in the village of Porvenir Wasparani for over 10 years, having immigrated from villages farther down the mountain. She and her husband came, as many have come, over the last 40 years to acquire new land in the frontier region. She left better accommodations to live in primitive conditions. She is convicted that with hard work, this community and her two small children will develop and her family will grow up healthy.

Each day, she has struggles in an imperfect world. Sometimes she is downtrodden with the daily events of her community that include domestic violence, family disagreements, land battles, deficient schools, and disunity in community leadership.

One beacon of light in her life, however, is her work in the last three years with the Health Committee (which is a partnership her community has with Predisan and the Honduran Ministry of Health.) This committee's work offers hope for resolving problems with malnutrition, providing vaccinations, and addressing prevalent but preventable diseases, as they support the nurse, health promoter, and chaplain in this remote community.

The construction of the new WASPARANI clinic for this community is a way to put Dalila's visions of the future into action. The inauguration of this new construction brought many visitors, including the municipal authorities and even the mayor and representatives of Third Lens ministry from Atlanta, Georgia, a principal donor in the construction process. During the program, everyone took notice of how the health committee's role is an important participant and partner in community health care . This clinic is now included in one of the 7 Predisan rural clinics. Each clinic has on staff an auxiliary nurse, and the clinic serves the purpose of meeting general medical needs and is prepared for medical emergencies, as well as providing for other basic needs like routine yearly check-ups for all ages. Patients can get medical treatment for symbolic fees. The construction of the Wasparani Clinic would not have been possible without the partnership of Third Lens in Atlanta, Georgia.

Because of the building of this clinic, the downtrodden spirits are lifted and hope is given to people like Dalila. The head once again goes high of mother and wife Dalila. She is a proud participant, a leader in something that promises a profoundly better future.

Dalila has been involved with the Health Committee over the last three years. Having grown up in nearby Capapan Dalila has known of Predisan services in the different areas of the mountains all her life.

Health is the foundation of a town and a city. Predisan puts ideas into action through the help of donations, while keeping the opinions and needs of the community in mind. Now people like Dalila can experience empowerment in her community through the contributions of important partners like Third Lens and Predisan.

Click here to see video of the journey volunteers and staff celebrating by cutting the ribbon.

Please click here to see photos from these events and the progress of the clinic in Wasparani.